


Courting Madness

by SweetHell



Category: Twisted-Wonderland (Video Game)
Genre: Animal Instincts, Attempt at Humor, Bad Flirting, Crack, Event: Fairy Gala (Twisted-Wonderland), Explicit Language, General Pettiness, I Can't Believe I Wrote This, Leona hissy fits, M/M, Mostly Leona's, Rivalry, courting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-31
Updated: 2020-11-21
Packaged: 2021-03-08 22:48:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 16,965
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27304381
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SweetHell/pseuds/SweetHell
Summary: As it happens, it starts with a stupid photo.A stupid photo taken by a stupid, stupid idiot that stupidly uploaded it on MagiCam without even thinking that he should have – maybe – at least asked the subject in question before doing so. But Karim is not, after all, known for being the sharper tool of the shed. It could even be said that Jamil is in fact a good 90% of his impulse control and no one in the whole college would disagree with that statement. Not even Karim himself.But as far as luck goes, Jamil is – currently – nowhere to be seen.Or...Karim leaks a few photos of Leona's wet, attractive figure on MagiCam during their Fairy Gala training and Malleus suddenly finds himself very eager to help with the preparations. It goes as well as everyone expected...in pure chaos.
Relationships: Malleus Draconia/Leona Kingscholar
Comments: 34
Kudos: 101





	1. Fairy Gala's Shenanigans

**Author's Note:**

> Just for you to know: this was supposed to be another one-shot of max 5k, but it completely got out of hands, as you can see. What can I say if not that I have no self-control and that I love writing Leona being the pissy bastard he is? I do hope I managed to be at least a bit funny, though, because I'm also almost done with the second part.  
> It's very possible that I left a few mistakes around since I beta'd this myself, so. Er. Hope you can enjoy it nonetheless.

As it happens, it starts with a stupid photo.

A stupid photo taken by a stupid, stupid idiot that _stupidly_ uploaded it on MagiCam without even thinking that he should have – maybe – at least asked the subject in question before doing so. But Karim is not, after all, known for being the sharper tool of the shed. It could even be said that Jamil is in fact a good 90% of his impulse control and no one in the whole college would disagree with that statement. Not even Karim himself.

But as far as luck goes, Jamil is – currently – nowhere to be seen.

Which means that Karim is not only left unsupervised, but also left alone with a sleeping Leona. And now, isn’t that just asking for trouble? He can’t even talk with anyone and distract himself from putting into practice his stupid, stupid ideas during the only break they got from training. The Fairy Gala is in few days and Vil is putting them to work with a demoniac pace that borders on sadistic.

In the short time it takes for Jamil to step outside the room to find something drink before Vil comes back and yells at them to get back to work, Karim has nothing better to do than watching Leona resting on a chair. The werelion has had his eyes closed since he heard the word “break”. He barely spared the time to take off the heavier golden robes before sitting down on that chair and falling asleep in his drenched undershirt. It seems that non even being dripping wet from all the water he managed to spill on himself is enough to hinder his ability to fall asleep anywhere at any time, Karim notices. That’s so cool! Senpai is really something, uh. He’s so scary all the time that seeing him so relaxed is close to impossible. He must have been really tired, though. His whole _white_ outfit is so wet that the clothes turned semi-transparent, sticking on his very muscular and fit figure like a second skin and yet, he sleeps like he’s in one of the softest beds ever.

Karim would probably never manage that, he thinks, observing him. Even though they grew up in a similar environment, Leona is so much cooler than him, even when he sleeps! He’s awesome!

The Scarabia Prefect doesn’t think too much of it, when he takes the first picture. It could be argued that he doesn’t think much about anything ever, period. But the hours spent under Vil’s intense dancing training surely aren’t helping his common sense and besides, it almost feels like a tragedy, not to have any proof of this moment.

Karim is a simple, easygoing guy, after all. If he sees something pretty or cool, he will take a picture. He just wants to never forget anything that catches his eyes, sometimes. Even if the pretty thing in question happens to be a sleeping werelion, who is known at school for his laziness, sure, but also for his extremely antisocial tendencies and a few attempted mauling. And, uh, the fact he wanted to let Malleus being stomped on by the crowd just to have a chance to win in the Magift Tournament. But of course, all of this doesn’t occur to Karim at all. Even after a whole day spent with him and his constant growling, glaring and scornful comments. It’s like having a grumbling kitty! Karim just thinks is really cute that Leona’s helping out with the plan even if he doesn’t like Vil’s evil training. Under all that aggressive posturing, isn’t he actually a nice guy, after all? He doesn’t scratch him behind the ears just out of consideration for his royal status, but it’s a near thing.

He just wants to take a picture and keep it as a memory of the day, that’s it. He swears that to himself. Maybe he will ask Jamil for a selfie too, later, to make it fair. After all Jamil is super awesome too! Karim missed dancing with him very much. They didn’t have any occasion, recently, between their studies and everything…they should dance together more often, like they did when they were kids.

And also, seeing Leona in such a relaxed pose, with his elbow on the chair's back as he rests his chin on the palm of his hand, eyes closed that shows off the dark but slightly glittering makeup – Vil’s artwork, obviously, because Vil-senpai is awesome and he even applied the waterproof one! – and his dark, long eyelashes brushing lightly against his smooth, brown skin…if he hadn’t seen him falling asleep with his own eyes, he would think he’s posing for some magazine or something. As expected from a Prince, he’s so effortlessly elegant, there is no way they won’t success at keeping all the attention focused on him, during the Gala.

Karim beams, taking not one, but a couple of shots. From different angles.

Yep, yep, yep, they are as beautiful as he thought they would be, even if he’s not half as skilled in taking photos as Vil and Cater are. It’s almost a pity to keep them all for himself inside his smartphone…and thinking so, he ends up then making a mistake. Well. Another one.

A bigger one.

As he coos over the photos, giggling, he opens MagiCam to upload them on his profile without a care in the world. Because, what’s so bad about it, after all? It’s just a picture. Or two. Or three. He writes a few lines, tags Leona’s almost empty profile and adds some hashtags, then he puts his phone back on top of his discarded uniform and completely forgets about it after few seconds.

Five minutes after that, Jamil comes back with some cold fruit juices and clean towels. Karim excitedly runs towards him, brushes off the other’s concerns and sates his thirst. As always, Jamil is the best, isn’t he? He’s the best, best friend _ever_.

“Karim! Stop staring at me like that, that’s creepy. Drink your juice before it gets warm.”

 _Best friend ever_.

It doesn’t pass much more time until Vil starts shouting at them again, kicking Leona off the chair and putting them all back to work because the Fairy Gala is in a few _days_ , how dare they slack off when under his responsibility? He’s a super fucking model and he won’t let them be anything if not _perfect_ under his watch! And stop growling at me, Leona, it’s not my fault you can’t even walk without slouching!

“Your only job is literally just catwalk and be pretty. That’s it.”, Vil hisses at him, scrunching up his cute face in a grimace of – still attractive – distaste. “A Prince? What a joke. You can’t even walk on two legs yet, you overgrown kitty.”

Tsk. What a waste of good looks.

And so, just like that, Karim yelps under his glare, Jamil softly swears under his breath and Leona – looking positively murderous – scowls. His expression is so full of violence that for a second everyone holds their breaths, but the moment goes away as Savanaclaw’s Prefect clicks his tongue and gets up from his chair.

“Whatever, princess.”, he scoffs, just like that they all manage to go back to their training without much arguing. Or magic dueling of sort.

Under Vil’s inhuman schedule, of course no one has the time to check their phones. Who knows if they will even get a second off again?

But it only takes thirty minutes for the photos that Karim uploaded to go viral.

In less than half an hour, the whole school has seen it, liked it and shared it. Has Leona-senpai always been so cool?? His ears are adorable! And looks at his makeup! For the Seven, did you see his clothes? He looks ready for a fashion magazine, even if he’s practically _naked_ in that wet outfit…but wait, how can he be so lean and built if he sleeps all the freaking time?!

In a bubbling and chaotic atmosphere of collective surprise, his photos go all around Twisted Wonderland, reaching every far, far away country one could name.

Even the Headmaster has seen it, secretly pleased that his students have got something else to discuss besides the crazy climatic changes in the school. And it’s not like the fairies have a MagiCam account anyway, so it’s not a big deal even if the outfit got released early. Vil and Devus are doing a great job, considering Kingscholar’s general lax and provocative attitude, and he has no doubt they will manage to blend in and take back the magic crystal from the Queen. He still carefully closes his studio early, though. He can smell the chaos approaching and he wants no part in it, thank you very much.

When Ruggie checks his phone, two hours after the uploading, he goes pale in the face and his mouth falls slack for the surprise. Other than the impromptu photoshoot being shared and commented in every corner of the net, he also finds a couple of dozens of message notifications from people he knows asking about Leona-san. But there is no way Leona-san knew about those photos being taken, right? Ruggie could bet the news reached Afterglow’s Savanna royal family too…Oh fuck, it’s going to end with a mass murder, he just _knows_.

Then, he remembers _he_ has nothing to do with this mess to begin with, starts laughing and goes back to folding the laundry. He wasn’t even there, not even Leona-san could give him shit for this one. He hopes Karim is smart enough to call for his flying carpet and get the hell out of there before Leona notices he went viral in full fairy make-up and wet clothes, otherwise the poor fucker’s dead. Not all the Jamil of this world nor flying carpets and money are going to be enough to save him from becoming a little sandy man if Leona decides to use him to sharpen his claws.

Well, not that he cares, okay?

Either way, this is going to be _fun_ and Ruggie is so not losing the chance to enjoy the chaos that will follow.

After he finishes with his laundry, though.

***

Malleus steps in the common room of Diasomnia just in time to witness Lilia laughing himself sick on the floor. Sitting in one of the sofas, Sebek is staring at his telephone, unusually quiet. Actually, his face seems kind of flushed and he has a vacant expression on…if it wasn’t for Lilia’s blatant hilarity, Malleus would have called for a doctor. Humans are so fragile, it’s ridiculous. It’s probably just a fever, right? Maybe a cold. He shifts his attention on the sofa facing Sebek, just to find Silver seated there, looking pale and confused. He’s also mumbling something about cats, how wet clothes can be dangerous for people’s health and something about mourning Karim’s departure.

Uh.

Malleus pauses mid-step through the door, unsure. He’s a little worried, mostly because Sebek looks like he should lie down before combusting, while Silver might use a calming potion. But. Does he really want to know? Or does he want to ignore this and keep going with his daily gargoyle’s appreciation?

That’s hardly even a choice.

But just as he’s about to sneak out of the room for his usual cemetery walk, Lilia notices him and bodily drag him back to the room. It’s rather telling that neither Sebek nor Silver have any reaction at all to their prince being dragged around like a sack of potatoes, even if it’s Lilia’s doing. Sebek is not even shouting! He has never seen the younger boy being so quiet…is he in shock? Is it because of the hot and humid temperature that permeates the Diasomnia’s Dorm since the magic stone got stole? Maybe he should really call for a doctor.

“Did you check your phone yet, Malleus?”, Lilia asks, still grinning and looking totally unconcerned about Siler’s mutterings and Sebek’s quietness. He has an amused glint in his violet eyes, a glint that rarely comes without following someone’s misfortunes. Malleus would know. It’s a more recurring occurrence than one might think and growing up he learned two things: never trust Lilia with food and definitely never trust Lilia’s sense of humor.

“No.”, he answers nonetheless, a bit curious of what the hell is going on and what the phone has to do with it. He has no idea how to use that damn thing anyway. He only ever uses to answer Lilia’s and Silver’s calls – Sebek’s not allowed to call him anymore, not after the One Hundred Calls Incident – and that only when he doesn’t _accidentally_ fry the thing with his magic. 

Lilia giggles and tears off the smartphone out of Sebek’s irresponsive hands, before almost smacking it in his face, despite the fact he’s barely half his height even with high heels on.

Malleus blinks.

Then he takes the phone out of Lilia’s hands and takes several, increasingly closer looks.

On the screen, there is a rare photo of Leona Kingscholar not scowling. In fact, not only he’s not scowling, but he’s also way more stupidly attractive than usual.

…not that Malleus takes particular notice of it or anything.

It’s just…an unusual look on him, okay?

Looking at the glittering makeup, the flowers in his hair and the clothes, it should be the outfit for the infiltrating in the Fairy Gala. But…why is he dripping wet? Yeah, he can see how the light white cloth follows the lines of his well-defined muscle lines on his chest, highlighting the pectoral and sticking so close to the skin that on might actually count his abs.

For being so slender, he’s actually quite built. Uhm.

“They’re in Pomefiore’s Ballroom.”, Lilia adds, apparently confident he needs to have this information for something. Which he doesn’t, not really. In fact, it seems like the preparation for the Gala are going just fine, seeing how glittery, flowery and… whatever all this is. There isn’t a single reason that could justify his presence there, is it?

“If you scroll, there are a few more photos.”, Lilia keeps going, amused to no end. “It seems like Scarabia’s Prefect is quite talented.”

Malleus scrolls.

The dryness in his throat gets worse.

But wait, isn’t the theme of the Gala ‘exotic’? Just what kind of ‘exotic’ are they going to show??

Maybe Malleus should go check the situation, after all.

To, er…make sure they don’t do anything inappropriate. Culturally speaking. He’s a fae, isn’t he? A big fae. The future King of the Valley. It wouldn’t be weird to offer his contribution, right? In fact, they should thank him for being of help and er…providing important information. Yeah. Because that’s the only reason for him to go there. Just lending a hand to the college. Out of goodwill. For the sake of the mission. Er. Et cetera.

And yet, he can’t quite seem to meet Lilia’s knowing eyes for some reason.

“I’m sure they will appreciate some insight on Fairy’s Gala traditions.”

And apparently, he also spoke the last thought out loud. Shit.

Pretending not to notice his own paus faux, Malleus nods and goes along with it, ignoring the laughter that threatens to send his Guardian on the floor once again. Feeling like he’s in a daze, mouth dry and with a slightly accelerated pulse, he walks out of the room with Sebek’s phone still in hand. He doesn’t look like he will need it anytime soon, after all, since he’s still not verbal.

Honestly, after seeing the photos, Malleus feels like he can relate to Sebek’s reaction a lot.

The faint sound of Lilia’s chuckling and Silver’s muttering still lingers on his mind as he disappears into thin air, directed to Pomefiore’s Dorm.

***

Leona has _literally_ no fucking idea how it came down to this.

Honestly. He could swear it on his _tail_ , there is no need for Vil to throw him that bitchy look.

One would think that his day was being shitty enough, but oh _no_ , there just had to be a cherry added on top of this freakshow, right? He just can’t believe it has to be _him_ out of every other annoying fucker in this damn school. It’s not like there isn’t more than a conspicuous selection of choice out there, but no, no. Of course it’s him. Of course it’s Malleus fucking Draconia and his royal ass that ends up showing up just when Leona is about to get used to the stupid catwalk.

Savanaclaw’s Prefect just blinks and all of sudden there is a horned, pale-faced lizard in the middle of the ballroom watching him like a starved animal would stare at a solitary gazelle in the middle of the desert.

It gives him goosebumps and immediately makes his inner alarm go off in his head.

And Leona is sure as fuck no shy gazelle, but he also doesn’t think there is any shame in admitting that the bastard – appearing in the middle of the room like he owns it – startled him so much he ended up spilling cold water on himself. Again.

Which obviously did very little to nothing in improving his current foul mood. Fuck’s sake, he just wants to go to sleep and not wake up for like…two days. At least. He’s tired, annoyed and now he’s also dripping wet and he’s _cold_. He’s starting to lowkey hate cold water too. Which is a secret that he will bring with him in the afterlife, otherwise Ruggie might just start calling him _kitty cat_ for the rest of his existence.

Leona had plenty of that already when the little shit had caught him purring one morning. He’s not in a rush to repeat the experience, thank you very much.

Unfortunately, Vil steps in two seconds before his punch lands on Malleus’s creepy face and puts a wall of air between them. Which is such a fucking tragedy, really, because Malleus wasn’t even going to avoid the hit. Leona has sparred the bastard enough times to know he can read him pretty well, by now. As for the why he was about to get punched without dodging, that’s even simpler to know: he was clearly too busy staring to mind. It’s creeping the fuck out of him and it’s kind of reminding him of Rook’s stalkerish analysis on lion hunting, except he can’t sense anything threatening coming from the other. He almost resembled a starved beast with his eyes glued on a particularly juicy meal, and yet Leona doesn’t feel like his head might get on the wall of a psychopath if he’s not careful enough.

Or maybe Rook messed up his priorities too badly in these three years.

Tsk. Weird bastard.

“Kingscholar! I won’t allow any brutish and unsightly brawl in my dormitory!”, Vil snaps, with murder written all over his pretty face. Seeing him it’s always enough to worsen his mood even when he doesn’t order him around, go figures now. “You will ruin your stage clothes!”

“I don’t want to hear it from you, sadistic princess.”, Leona answers, while keeping most of his attention on Malleus, who is now smiling like a cat who got the cream. Tsk. Creepy, just as stated. “You clearly didn’t give two fucks about the clothes when you started with the stupid vases!”

“Oya? I’m afraid I can’t understand your pathetic meowls, kitty. Speak human and get back to work.”, Vil sneers, “Only talk to me when you learn how to walk on two legs.”

Fucking. Bitch.

Even dealing with the overgrown lizard is a much better perspective than him.

Leona’s ears flatten themselves on his braided hair and his tail twitches as he shows his sharp fangs in a smile. His frustration and anger are so evident that even Karim and Jamil are being quiet, on the other side of the room, perfectly content just watching the scene unfold. Well, Jamil is always quiet, but Karim’s silence is much more indicative, at least. But if he doesn’t murder Vil on the spot, it’s only because he doesn’t want to deal with Farena’s bitching from home later.

Who says he’s not patient? He will just break his face as soon as this farce ends.

But Vil, instead of recognizing how close he was to eternal sleep, just scoffs at him and then focuses his attention back on Diasomnia’s Prefect.

“But, putting Leona’s bad attitude aside, I would too like to know what the purpose of your visit is here, Draconia. I thought you weren’t interested in helping.”, he asks, watching him coldly from under his long, pretty lashes. Vil Schoenheit might not be as physically menacing as Leona and Malleus are, but he’s by no means less of a danger, especially since they are all in his territory.

Rook doesn’t call him Roi du Poison for the fun of it, after all.

“Seeing you all giving your best to help really made me change my mind. Such kindness is rare.”, Malleus answers, voice flat and uninterested, not even bothering with the acting of his obvious lie. He seems too taken by the staring in Leona’s dripping wet clothes to care about the flatness of his tone. Any of his gargoyles could have acted more honest than him, actually. And gargoyles can’t talk at all. “I can give you more pointers about fairy’s culture, if needed.”

For a few, interminable seconds no one answers. They are too busy trying to digest the sheer absurdity of the statement, but Malleus simply doesn’t care about them enough to formulate a better excuse. He’s busy wondering if Kingscholar is cold, all wet like this. But he probably won’t take it well if Malleus tries to hug him now, right? He heard that sharing body heath is a great way to prevent hypothermia…oh, wait. Dragons are cold-blooded, he forgot…maybe he could ask Leona to warm him instead?

Leona gently rubs his temples, finding it really hard to keep it together and not roar in his face again. Giving their best? Kindness? Is that how ‘being coerced to help by the Headmaster’ translates, now?? And who the fuck needs pointers on fairies, anyway? They’re clearly almost done with the plan! At least put more effort into your fucking excuses, bastard!

Vil is the first to recover. He arches one of his perfectly cured eyebrows and takes a couple of glances between Malleus – still staring – and Leona – still growling. Somehow, something must have gone into place for him, because his violet eyes turn sharp and calculating for a second before his usual mean smile appears on his doll-like face. Oh. Well, isn’t this fun.

“Sounds good, dear. You can grab a chair and see how I teach something to these idiots.”

Leona knows Vil won’t listen to him, so he directly throws the heaviest chair he can find right on Malleus’s assort face with enough force to cause a mild concussion, but to no avail at all. Diasomnia’s Prefect just catches it mid-air with no effort at all, his movements fluid, like catching heavy objects rifled at him is an everyday activity, and his thin lips distend in a slow grin. Leona scoffs, already wondering what other potentially lethal objects he can try to hurl at the other stupid’s face next, but Malleus’s green, slit eyes just flickers with amusement and his smile grows extremely unpleasant.

It takes a while before Leona catches up on why.

Malleus smiles like he’s a cat zeroing on the mouse he’s decided to play with and Leona hitches from the overwhelming desire to punch that hungry expression off his face. But Vil’s grip around the magical pen is getting warningly tighter for any moment they lose so Leona has to settle for the next best option…and he throws at him one of his empty vases with so much force that Malleus this time has to actually dodge it not to have it smashing itself on that smug face.

***

Strangely enough, they all manage to survive the afternoon.

Maybe overblotting really did wonders to Leona’s temper, after all, because by the time Ruggie gets there, a few hours later, not only he doesn’t get asked to hide any dead body, but he doesn’t even get noticed upon entering. Leona is in the middle of the Ballroom, still wet and seemingly in full murderous rage mode, judging by the threatening edge in his growl.

And yet, since he’s still there and he has no vase on his shoulders and head anymore, it seems like they are actually getting somewhere with the show preparations. Ruggie is thoroughly impressed. He half expected to find Vil and Leona too busy being at each other’s throat to actually do any work.

But again, seeing the tall figure of Malleus Draconia hovering around Savanaclaw’s Prefect as he can’t hear his half growled curses, it becomes clear enough why Vil is currently seated in a corner of the ballroom, sipping tea, the picture of absolute relax as he watches his two colleagues argue with an impressive regal air of languid leisure. Uh. Well. Not what Ruggie would expect since Leona-san and Malleus are in the middle of demolishing his Dorm’s Ballroom, but life is full of surprises…

What it doesn’t become clear at all, though, is _what_ exactly is Malleus Draconia doing in the Pomefiore’s Ballroom and why on earth is he sticking so close to Leona-san, like a horned and rather gloomy cat to his new walking catnip-filled toy? Why is he even there in the first place? He walked off the situation as soon as the Headmaster decided who had to help with the current crisis…why would he come back?

He decides to hold off his tongue, since he doesn’t want the attention of the two arguing Prefects to shift on him, but he quietly reaches the corner where Vil is taking a break. Jamil is standing slightly behind Pomefiore’s Head, observing the scene with half-lidded eyes and a light and amused smile, while Karim is sprawled on the floor, yawning.

Aside from Scarabia’s Prefect dozing off, his vice seems more than ready to share some of the gossips of the last hours with Ruggie, under Vil’s tacit permission.

So, everyone is indeed still alive and well, even though there were some really close murder calls, if Jamil is to be trusted.

And Jamil is honestly way too much cheerful about it _not_ to be trusted.

“So…wait a second…why is Leona-san covered in pink flowers again?”

“Because Malleus-senpai thought they might go well with the outfit.”

“…did he, now.”

“Oh, he tried light blue earlier too. But then settled for pink. He said it goes better with the tone of his skin, so he made them magically grow on his hair.”, Jamil keeps explaining, suddenly much more talkative than the usual. It’s unclear if Leona’s suffering that makes him so chipper, or it’s just watching general chaos that does the trick, but if he wants to tell him the particulars so badly, well. Ruggie of course won’t complain. “He tried to do the same with Leona- senpai’s tail too, but he almost got decapitated by a curse.”

Ruggie turns his head to throw a glance at his Prefect, who seems so close popping a vein that he doesn’t even notice how everyone else but him and Malleus is spending a deserved break gossiping about them.

“Well. Ancient curses is the only class he doesn’t sleep in, after all.”, Ruggie drily adds, remembering some of the curses he has seen on Leona’s textbooks.

He shivers a little.

Jamil hums and his dark eyes shine as he observes Leona’s complicate movements of summoning with the same amount of concentration one might expect him to have in class. Ruggie kind of hopes that Jamil never gets his hands on some of the absolutely illegal textbooks that Leona studies when he’s not sleeping, judging by the calculating look on his face.

But whatever.

Vil takes a few gracious sips from his tea, watching the scene unfolding with the same amount of pleasure he could have watched a comedy on a theatre. He really looks like he’s enjoying the situation as well, even letting everyone slack off the training for the fun of it…and destroying his Ballroom.

Since it’s now covered in flowers and burnt holes...where the absolutely not dangerous curses Leona-san is using struck.

“Malleus is also the one who keeps getting Leona’s wet, for your information.”, Vil chips out, sounding incredibly cheerful about it, to the point he adds gossip without even asking for a return payment. Such instances are really so rare in this school, especially from another Prefect, to the point that Ruggie can’t quite believe his ears. And yet. “Kingscholar’s catwalk is going quite well since a while ago, actually. His stance is perfect. The only reason he’s still drenched is that Malleus keeps spilling the water on him when he thinks he’s not looking.”

Ruggie briefly wonders if he died without even realizing it, because this sounds just like one of his wildest dreams coming true. For the first time, he feels almost happy that Leona dragged him in this Fairy Gala mess. He would have dearly regretted not being able to have a front-row for all the delicious drama ongoing.

“Training is done for today, by the way. Tomorrow morning we are only going to have a reversal and then it’s already showtime.”, Vil adds, in a soft voice. “The only reason we are still here is that I’m really curious to see if this ridiculous mating ritual is going to end with a violent murder or a kiss.”

His sardonically amused expression tells that he would be more than fine with whichever. But that doesn’t come with much of a surprise, actually. Pomefiore’s Prefect may be beautiful and shiny like the finest diamond on earth, but he’s also almost as harsh and cutting sharp.

Vil flashes a grin at him and then he stops talking, before shifting his attention back to the two main characters of the post-training show. Leona hisses like the big, pissed off cat he actually is, while Malleus tries his best to convince him to unbutton the first button of his shirt under the garment, so he can grow a few more flowers in the buttonhole there too.

Does he want to turn Leona-san into a walking flowerbed?!

Shit, who would have thought that the upstanding, always mature and gloomy Diasomnia’s Prefect had such a shameless personality underneath? And he is not even showing the faintest trace of embarrassment. He keeps a light, composed smile on his elegant face and he doesn’t even change expression at Leona’s usual harsh provocations. It’s like he suddenly became selectively deaf. Like he attained Nirvana doing who the fuck knows what, and oh, now he’s dodging all Leona’s attempts to slit his throat with his magically extended claws.

Malleus avoids another punch aimed at his jaw by stepping closer to Savanaclaw’s Prefect and points a finger to the other’s hair, where another pink flower begins to grow and blossom, after a sparkle of green light.

Of course, that also means that he’s now close enough for Leona to headbutt him in between his horns in retaliation, leaving a bruise on his pale skin. And yet, Malleus doesn’t even wince and just uses the sudden closeness to lean over and pet one of Leona’s fluffy ear with a pleased expression that makes Ruggie’s fur stands up. Malleus takes the ear in between his thumb and index finger and strokes it softly.

Ruggie can feel his own face burning so hot it’s probably going to turn scarlet. That feels…a little too fucking intimate for their kind.

Even so, Malleus seems totally unconcerned of the bewildered and astounded look on Leona-san’s face, who freezes there for a few seconds, obviously trying to connect what the fuck it’s happening to him. He has an air of a big, spooked cat, with his tail rigid and his mouth slightly slacked by the surprise. He’s probably in the middle of a huge mental breakdown, letting for a brief period of time all the usual lazy arrogance go…honestly, it’s great.

Ruggie is almost crying from the effort not to laugh out loud, even with his blush still in place.

Azul would probably pay him good money to have the scoop. He has to remember to make a stop at the Lounge’s, after everything returns quiet. Shit, he had never wished more for a camera…

Obviously, though, Leona’s shock doesn’t last much at all. In just a span of a couple of moments, he overcomes the surprise and swiftly knees Malleus Draconia right in the stomach with enough force to make him bend in two. Malleus this time winces, letting a slight grunt of pain escape his lips. And yet, instead of backing off like a normal person, he smiles, mutters something under his breath, and immediately after blue roses start growing on Leona’s belt.

“Jamil-kun, if you keep smiling so much, you’ll end up straining your facial muscles.”, Ruggie comments, as Leona literally has to kick Diasomnia’s Prefect away from him while swearing profusely, all in order to win back some personal space. His foot misses the other’s pale face by a centimeter or so, but Malleus just chuckles and tries getting closer again.

“Likewise, Ruggie-kun.”, is Jamil’s only answer, while Vil laughs softly in the background and Karim sighs, sounding a little confused and tired of the commotion.

***

Of course, their little gossip time doesn’t last much at all.

Eventually, Vil opens his MagiCam to check his profile and the whole photos-going-viral thing gets finally discovered. The tentative peace between the parties shatters, thanks to the resident supermodel who starts screaming bloody murder because Leona’s photos actually got more likes than his last selfie. It gets to the point where Rook has to be called in order to escort his cursing Prefect out of there, for an urgent calming herbal tea and a face mask to soothe his delicate nerves.

Ruggie didn’t think it was possible for him to be ever so happy to see Rook Hunt.

Which tells a lot of what the previous ten minutes had felt like, since Rook’s cold eyes didn’t leave Leona for a freaking second, even as he kept smiling and coaxing Vil to follow him outside.

Leona massages his temples for a few minutes after that, trying to erase from his memory the last ten minutes of his life, which saw the ever elegant and beautiful Vil Schoenheit turning in a screeching banshee over a few million likes before genuinely trying his best to decapitate his fellow Prefect and trainee.

Ruggie doesn’t think his hearing will ever be the same again.

Malleus, who didn’t seem surprised in the slightest when the photo came up, was the one who managed to keep the damages and the maiming down to a bare minimum, to everyone’s surprise. He sent Jamil out the Pomefiore’s Dorm in search of Rook before successfully blocking every curse that the other two were trying to hit each other with. Actually, Malleus might even be the only reason for which Leona-san didn’t completely lose it and turn everything into sand just to shut Vil up.

It was still cool as hell, though.

Like how he singlehanded stopped midair the four daggers that Pomefiore’s Prefect enchanted with poison? Or how he silenced the werelion just as he was about to utter one of the ancient, gory curses he likes so much? Legendary.

Fuck, you know what? Ruggie likes Malleus now. He hopes that he and Leona-san can be together for a long, long time and have all the pups their heart might desire. He’s fully on board with the ship and ready to be the best wingman they could ask for.

But speaking of Leona-san, he’s been staring at the two Scarabia boys in front of him for a good while, now, without as much as blinking.

He stares at them for so long that Ruggie stops whatever delirious fantasy he is having about him and Malleus fucking Draconia and starts staring at Leona staring at the other two instead. Uh. The tension is the room is getting high again.

But this is gonna be fun, Ruggie thinks, laughing between himself, as he looks at Jamil’s very much not impressed face and Karim being too tired to be afraid.

“Delete those.”

Leona says that in an extremely calm and mature tone, with just a hint of growl in his voice, like his ears haven’t directed themselves toward the font of his focus, signaling that he’s obviously ready to pounce. It’s a scary and imposing sight, especially for a hyena like Ruggie, watching his green eyes going dark with boiling rage, his usually lazy and relaxed feature turning sharp and dangerous once again.

It’s still quite difficult to feel that much intimidated, though, since Malleus is right behind him, petting his head and…braiding flowers…on his…hair? Wait, when did he even go there? And why isn’t Leona-san saying anything?! Did he give up complaining? Is he too lazy to?

Fucking hell.

Maybe his fantasy wasn’t much of a fantasy, after all.

He’s okay with being a wingman, but he’s so not on board with babysitting…

“Leona-senpai, you should calm down first.”, Jamil’s answering smile is as unpleasant and poisonous as his owner, but his voice stays polite and calming. It’s probably the shock, since he keeps throwing astonished glances at Malleus’s peaceful braiding, though. Ruggie is, in fact, having a very hard time not staring at the scene too much too. “It’s just a few pictures.”

“Mh? Why would you want to delete it?”, Karim – bless his heart – seems rather confused by the sudden aggression. Not scared, though. Perplexed. Ruggie still hasn’t decided how much of that is pure stupidity rather than just a talent for acting clueless. He’d bet on the first one, though, since he still hasn’t dropped the damn phone and ran the fuck away yet. “It’s such a nice picture.”

This time, Leona doesn’t even try _not_ to growl in his face.

Jamil, with an almost painful effort, manages not to beam from the sidelines.

He looks like he’s having the best day of his fucking life.

Honestly, Ruggie can relate.

“Ah? You don’t want to?”, Leona-san sneers, watching him with heavy-lidded eyes. Gradually, his rage is being replaced with something much colder and meaner, judging by the way his back muscles relax. Ruggie knows that expression rather well. It means that he found a way to make it advantageous for himself, after all. He almost sniggers out loud…this is so much better than raw violence and much more in Leona’s style. “Fine, then, don’t delete it. But you still took a photo of me and uploaded it without permission. Since it’s me who is gonna have to fucking deal with it…you have to compensate me for it.”

And _that_ is what finally manages to erase the good-humored light out of Jamil’s eyes.

“Senpai, it’s just a photo. What kind of compensation are you talking of?”, Jamil’s expression turns guarded, as he immediately tries to mend the situation. So, Jamil is okay with Leona’s murderous intent being directed at Karim, but not with Leona speaking to him? Ah, so he really is as smart as Azul keeps saying, after all…he’s really good at pretending to be average too.

“Karim didn’t mean do to anything bad. In a while, the novelty will wear off without bringing any harm and…”

“You think you have any say in this, Viper?”, Leona says, his eyes glinting with cruel amusement. He smiles, knowingly, and all of a sudden, having Malleus at his back doesn’t quite seem as comical as before. If nothing, watching the bland interest of the Diasomnia’s Prefect as he plays with Leona’s hair ends upholding much more power. “Tsk. You should know your place. I’m obviously talking to your _Master_.”

The whole room stills as Jamil goes deathly pale.

It’s unclear if it’s out of rage or humiliation, but it’s nonetheless a very effective move, just as everything Leona-san plans. In fact, the major effect is not even bringing Jamil to forcibly lose his words and standing for a moment. Judging by the surprised and worried look on Karim’s face, as his eyes go from Savanaclaw’s Prefect to his best friend, Leona’s wording has quite an effect on Karim too.

As expected, uh…

“Then, what do you say, Al-Asim? Aren’t deals your family’s specialty?”, Leona laughs, showing a just hint of sharp, white fangs. “Then let’s say you owe me a favor and I’ll pretend I gave you permission to take them when my family asks. So? Am I not being nice about it, Al-Asim?”

Nice is certainly not an adjective that anyone in their sane mind would use to describe Leona-san in this moment, Ruggie thinks. Or in any given moment, really. It’s quite rare for the Savanaclaw’s Prefect to play the family card, but it’s surely most effective against Karim, who now looks a little anxious. He keeps glancing at Jamil, but Leona has already made it clear he won’t hear anything that doesn’t come directly from the Al-Asim’s family heir. Heh. Not bad.

“I got it.”, Karim answers too quickly, without even thinking it through. His eyes are still fixated on Jamil, whose rage is seeping through the mask of affability and unconcern he usually wears. “I’ll definitely repay the debt.”

“What? No!”, Jamil’s eyes widen as he hisses his displeasure, but it’s too late. His Prefect already gave his word…which knowing him, it will be enough. “How can you just accept it? He hasn’t even named the price yet! Karim!”

Leona smirks, watching the Scarabia duo as they start arguing between themselves. Well. Jamil scolds and Karim apologizes, to be fair. When Jamil finally loses his patience and bodily drags Karim outside, throwing a cold look in Leona’s direction, Ruggie just chuckles and waves his hand at them. He definitely understands now why Azul seems so intrigued – or obsessed – by this classmate of his. As expected, the octopus sure has a hell of a radar for beneficial acquaintances.

“Ehh, Leona-san was as harsh as always. I really thought Jamil-kun would have tried to stab you.”, Ruggie puts his hands behind his head, still chuckling. “Did you see his face? Shishishi.”

“Tsk. As if he has enough guts for that, that little snake.”

“By the way, Leona-san. Why didn’t you ask him for gems? You could have given them to me as repairment for my work tomorrow!”

“Shut up, Ruggie. I’m fucking tired.”, Leona scowls at him, like Malleus isn’t still hovering at his back like a fucking gargoyle. He’s so close he could frankly just back-hug him and be done with it, instead of following the conversation with that little amused smile. Scary. Leona-san’s new suitor is scary. “Let’s go back before your new gossip friend comes back and starts bitching again.”

“…sure.”

Ruggie takes the lead until they finally get out of Pomefiore’s Dorm, but just as he is about to keep walking towards Savanaclaw, he glances at his shoulders to check if Leona-san hasn’t dropped asleep somewhere and realizes something is very wrong.

He stops dead in his tracks, mildly alarmed.

“Er. So...”, he first looks at the bored expression on Leona’s face and then decides he might as well ask, since he seems too lazy to get murderous now. “Is Draconia-senpai coming too? Because Diasomnia Dorm isn’t this way, right…”

Malleus, who has been following them until now without saying a single word, smiles to the both of them, like the answer should be obvious, and then puts his arm across Leona’s shoulders like it belongs there.

Ruggie shivers and regrets not having kept his mouth shut. After all, is it his business? No!!

Leona-san just looks at Ruggie with death in his eyes, scrolls Malleus’s am off of him and keeps walking in the direction of the dorm.

“Just call Lilia and tell him to come to get his pet back.”, Leona hisses, while pretending he can’t hear Malleus’s soft chuckle at his right. He has to, in order to keep his temper in check. “If he’s still being a fucking leech by the time I wake up, I’m going to drown his horned ass in the lake, though.”

“That’s not very nice of you, Kingscholar.”, Malleus replies, smiling so widely that he shows his white, pointy teeth. Hasn’t this fucker had enough fun at his expenses today? Tsk, whatever, he was really too tired to bother anymore. “I’ll have you to know that dragons are perfectly capable of swimming. I also personally quite enjoy it, I’ll say.”

Leona just slowly rubs his aching temples and says no more, ignoring how the whole school is staring at them as they proceed. And they must be an interesting group indeed, seeing how Leona is still dressed in white and gold, with flowers braided in his hair and glittering make-up. That and of course, the fact that he and Malleus are walking towards Savanaclaw without arguing.

Fallen at the tail of the unusual little group, Ruggie is having a hard time managing his small mental breakdown in the background, which is harder than it should be, since he can now see how Malleus’s pale hands are occasionally brushing Leona-san’s from time to time.

Leona keeps slapping them away, though, enduring in silence even if his ears keep twitching in annoyance. He doesn’t actively try to push him away, both because he knows it will probably be useless and because, well. Somehow, he managed to be the less annoying out of every else fucker he had come into contact with today.

Tsk, whatever. He’s too tired for arguing anyway. Definitely too fucking tired.

After all, there is no rush, right? He will have time to kill him later.


	2. Courtship Carneval

The mission is, of course, a complete success.

They not only manage to steal back the tiara from the Fairy Queen with almost no slip-ups, but they even end up getting back to the school in time for lunch. Crowley is ecstatic and too disgustingly close to tears for someone who blackmailed them into cleaning up his own mess again, while Crewel, for once, offers his sincere congratulations and praises. Not that Leona cares about that sadistic freak thinks about his future working prospects anyway, but the memory of his whipping is still very fresh and painful in his mind, so he just rejects his offer to debut as a model as politely as he can before finally getting back to his Savanaclaw.

And just like that, life at the Night Raven College quickly gets back to normal.

Well, kind of.

Aside from a few excruciating and stressing phone calls with his family – _fuck, no, Brother, don’t call your wife over, I said I don’t need to talk it over with her! I don’t want to start a modeling career!_ – and the fact that now half of the school is whispering gossips about him, being away from home actually shields Leona from the international press frenzy that his photos provoked. “ _From sports champion to star supermodel?! Afterglow Savannah Second Prince monopolizes the news_!”. Tsk. As if he would ever do something like that intentionally. Herbivores really have nothing better to do than being annoying. He firmly refuses to give any interviews or statements, no matter how nicely Crowley tries to convince him, and then he proceeds to threaten everyone that comes to ask him for an autograph until they completely stop.

Although, it has to be said, not many people had the guts to come and disturb him, glittery photos or not. He just has to send a couple of suicidal idiots for a long visit to the infirmary with broken bones and a newfound understanding of what it means to wake him up when he’s napping, and magically no one comes to bother him anymore.

It’s not so different from the usual.

What is really fucking different from the usual is, of course, the fact that Malleus has never left him alone since the day Karim uploaded those damned photos. For real. The fucker is everywhere and nowhere at the same time, appearing out of thin fucking air when Leona thinks he’s alone and being a general nuisance with no concept of personal space for hours to no end.

He’s even worse than Rook Hunt, with his stalkerish hunting tendencies, and if that’s doesn’t say something, then what even could?

At least, Leona knows Rook’s modus operandi pretty well by now. That kappa-head is into long-distance watches, stalking and occasional photos taking. Once in awhile, he’d try to shoot an arrow or two, sure, but it doesn’t happen so often. More generally, Rook harasses Ruggie for information every few weeks and acts weird around the two of them, but he has enough sense not to be in Leona’s fucking face all the time. But Malleus? Tsk. Malleus acts like he has no life without him anymore. That guy doesn’t seem to have any shame whatsoever, for someone that always act so high and mighty in public, and unlike Rook, Leona hasn’t the faintest idea of what Malleus is even trying to accomplish. Aside from acting like a pushy bastard. It can’t be that he’s trying to piss him off, because not even Leona can stay pissed all the fucking time, and it can’t be that he’s trying to make friends with him either, because he doesn’t seem hurt or bothered by any of Leona’s more abrasive remarks. He never turns down a fight too. On the contrary, he seems to enjoy those even more than he used to.

Leona really can’t figure it out, so he just deals with it day by day, ignoring Ruggie’s insufferable smirks and Jack’s honest confusion.

In the week that follows the Fairy Gala event, Malleus keeps finding any tiny bit of excuse and occasion for leeching his company. He sits at his table at lunch, he goes to read his books on gargoyles in the greenhouse as Leona naps – fucker’s even went as far as to pet his hair as he slept! Fuck him, he’s not a damn housecat! – and he even goes to assists to magift’s club activities on a few occasions.

Honestly, it gets to the point where his two stupid bodyguards started to directly ask for Leona’s whereabouts whenever the Diasomnia Prefect disappears…which bothers Savanaclaw’s Prefect far more than Malleus’s company in itself, because the green one is just too goddamn loud and the sleepy one is so airheaded that he doesn’t seem to hear a word that Leona says to him _ever_.

And of course, this means that they come to find him also when Malleus isn’t even around…as that very moment, for example. But Sebek decides that crushing right in the middle of Magift Club activities – his _territory_ – to ask – _yelling_ – about his Young Master’s whereabouts isn’t a problem at all.

“Kingscholar-senpai!!! Where’s Young Master?! You have to give him back!!”, the annoying first year all but shouts in his face, accusing _him_ of kidnapping his new stalker.

Leona, who was in the middle of throwing the disc, stills and with him does the game.

Since they were right in the middle of it, the adrenaline is already pumping strong in his veins, making him skip the irritation stage and going straight to murderous bloodlust.

It also doesn’t help a bit that around him, he can clearly see that Ruggie has to support himself on Jack’s shoulder, trembling from the effort of not laughing out loud, while most of the people training there start whispering and pointing out that, in fact, Malleus has been coming to nearly every training and, ehi, did the two of them had a fight or something?

“What did you just say?”, Leona’s ears go flat on his hair as he swallows back the growl that threatens to come out his chest. “Going around meowling nonsense…Oi, are you _that_ tired of living?”

Too bad that this particular first year doesn’t have the slightest sense of danger, because instead of apologizing and retreating, he takes Leona’s response as an encouragement to keep talking.

“Senpai!! What did you do to Young Master?! Where are you keeping him?!”, Sebek gasps loudly after assessing that there was no stupidly tall walking lizard on the training camp, this time, but clearly missing completely the dangerously thick tension in the air. “Lilia-san wants to speak with him! You have to give him back!!!”

The whole club freezes in his tracks and quickly get as further away from Leona as it’s physically possible, leaving him and the suicidal idiot alone in the center of the field. For few, painfully long seconds, the only thing that can be heard on the field is Ruggie, as he tries not to choke in his own silent laughter.

Leona’s temples start to painfully throb as his hand tightens around his Magical Pen, an immediate pavlovian response he ended up developing after a few encounters with the present and most annoying first year ever, which is saying something since Sebek is on the same year as the monster furball and his human babysitters.

“Oi, Ruggie. Still have the breath to laugh? Run 15 laps.”, Leona snaps, his voice growing deeper and more murderous the closer Sebek gets, apparently unaware of what he’s doing, interrupting their training like he has the authority to do so and raising his tone at Leona like he’s _reproaching_ him. “The rest of you bastards run 10 and start thinking how to play without sucking at it. Less gossiping and more running!”

The club, that has been running around catching the disc for hours already, collectively shivers and fucks off immediately, before Leona decides to double their laps. He trained them well. Even Ruggie, that shifts from hysterical laughs to whining from the back of his throat like a kicked hyena cub in zero to one, follows them without any verbal complaints…after he gets a good look at their Captain’s face.

Jack is the only one who hesitates a bit longer, looking fidgety, as he isn’t sure if he should intervene or not. But in the end, he winces at Sobek’s arrogant shouts and follows the others with a sigh. Heh. The wolf cub is surely nosier than Leona usually tolerates, but he doesn’t look like he’s without hope yet. But then again, both wolves and lions are territorial animals, so maybe he understands this situation better than Leona’s usual tricks. Whatever. He will have plenty of time to think about Jack later, once he gets both Sebek and Malleus out of his hair, hopefully forever.

Decision taken and field cleared, Leona turns to the green-haired first year, who is still waiting for an answer with an impatient look at his face, completely unaware of the almost tangible murderous intent surrounding the werelion in front of him. Such an arrogant pup…he seems like he needs to be taught some manners.

Leona smiles at him, widely, without trying to hide the sharpness of his fangs or how his ears stand, signaling that he’s ready to pounce.

When the students from the Magift club see it, they start running faster…in the opposite direction.

Good boys.

***

“Fufufu, Leona-kun, you could have been a little nicer to our Sebek, don’t you think?”

Lilia chuckles, apparently unconcerned of the pitiful sleeping figure laying in one of the infirmary beds. For as much as he appears calm and amused, Leona should have been blind not to see the way he affectionately pets Sebek’s ruffled hair, like a mother grooming his pup after he got scratched playing too roughly. But then again, their relationship was clear enough since before, since he took appositely 5 minutes to appear out of fucking nowhere after he sent Jack to Diasomnia.

“It’s not like you don’t know how he is, by now, don’t you?”, he goes on, pointing those irritating purple slit eyes on him. “I wonder what he even did to deserve a personal lesson from you.”

Leona can’t help but wonder what would have happened if he hadn’t immediately seen Sebek still awake and annoying loud in his nursery bed. But again, Lilia might be tiny, but from what he has seen during PE class, Diasomnia Vice Prefect is not someone to underestimate.

Not that he would ever admit that aloud.

Ever.

“Usual insults aside, I’d say it was mostly the fact that he barged in during _my_ training and started accusing me of kidnapping that shitty lizard, old bat. As if I’d keep him locked in Savanaclaw or something. You think that’s enough reason for you? Troublesome cubs should learn how to behave before they get hurt for real.”, Leona manages to heartily laugh without being amused in the slightest. It does still irritates him, more than he wants to show, having had his territory invaded with such arrogance in front of his club left him buzzing with nervous energy he doesn’t know how to direct. “And If they had to sedate him, I clearly didn’t concuss him hard enough, now, did I?”

“Ah, it seems indeed that our Sebek caused you quite a few problems. He’s such an impulsive child, this one, when he’s worried for Malleus.”, Lilia laughs too, seemingly genuinely amused by the retelling. “I trust you could have done worse…frankly, I’m just really surprised to see you linger here. How shockingly kind of you, Leona-kun, I didn’t take you for the caring type.”

“Take it as you want, Lilia. It’s just too tiring to get serious with herbivores that can’t even keep up in a magift’s play. Next time, he won’t have the same luck, though.”, Leona answers, his tail swinging lightly behind him. “If you can’t control your pup, you better keep him on a shorter leash.”

“I will try.”, he smiles, showing off his frontal, pointy fangs. “And yet, the question remains. What exactly are you doing here, Leona-kun? Waiting for someone?”

“And what if I am?”, Leona sneers, studying Lilia with half-closed eyes. “After all the brat couldn’t even excuse himself properly…I wonder who taught him manners.”

“Ow, you really spent too much time with Crewel-sensei lately, Leona. Aren’t you being a little too arrogant for a newborn kitten?”

Leona almost growls at his face, straightening his posture. He has already concussed one Diasomnia today, why not two? But the door of the infirmary suddenly opens, interrupting them as they turn to see who came in.

“Oh, Leona-san! You’re still here?”, Ruggie’s ears twitch in his direction and before anyone can say anything he is already speeding through the room, until he’s close enough for Leona’s tail to brush his calf. That’s when the tension keeping his shoulders rigid eases a bit. Leona has no idea if he’s doing it unconsciously or not, but he smells slightly nervous, so the Savanaclaw Prefect lets him be for the moment. “I thought you left already.”

How come everyone is asking him the same fucking question? He stays where the fuck he wants to be, ok? But Ruggie’s seems more of a relieved statement than a question, and it’s rather endearing to see how much the little hyena is relying on him as a shield from the Malleus and Lilia. It feels right to an instinctual level, but he still takes a mental note of teasing Ruggie for it later.

“As if.”, Leona snorts, eyes fixed to the door. “I still have a bone to pick with this Majesty over here.”

Just as he speaks, Malleus steps in the room too, going straight to Sebek’s bed without a word or even a glance in his direction. Like there is nothing else worth paying attention to, even though he must know by now who is the source of his human’s injuries. It’s irritating, but probably better this way. If they were to start fighting here for real there is a high chance they could destroy the tower.

The other human bodyguard, the second year with silver hair, is closing the little procession, looking fully awake for once. It seems that he and Ruggie finally managed to reach out to the Diasomnia Prefect in whatever hole he had crawled to this time.

Mmh, no wonder that his little hyena is so on edge…this might be the first time he sees such a scary expression on the scaly bastard, actually. Leona has seen him annoyed, pissed off, even, but there is something feral on his face right now, something that fully exposes how not-human Malleus actually is. It’s intriguing.

“Eh?!”, Ruggie is so close he’s practically hiding behind him at this point, but Leona doesn’t mind. After all, this Draconia bastard is really making an ugly expression right now, even if his worry for Sebek is holding all his attention. “Now?!”

“Fufufu, Malleus, relax a bit, won’t you?”, Lilia intervenes, watching the Diasomnia Prefect’s scowling face. Leona could swear he saw a tiny bit of smoke puffing out the corner of his mouth. Heh, what a nice change from his usual composure. “Sebek is fine. He’s just a little bruised up. The nurse just had to give him a sleeping potion because he kept moving around instead of resting.”

“Is he all healed?”

“Yeah. It was just a slight concussion, a bruised rib, and a few bruises.”

“Really? Then it’s fine.”, Malleus frowns, even though most of the tension in the room eases after Lilia confirmed that it wasn’t anything major. He still gives a quick check-up on Sebek’s sleeping form, but the kid really doesn’t have anything more than a few purple bruises. Leona knows that well, since he put them all there. “What happened? A curse?”

“He had a Magift one-to-one against Leona-kun here.”, Lilia sighs like the troubled parent he probably is. “Took the disc a little too hard, probably.”

“He also ran into a tree trying to catch it. That’s how concussion went, by the way.”

All eyes instantly focused on the spot where Leona is lazily leaning on the window alcove, a couple of beds farter. Took them long enough to remember he’s right there, tsk.

“You know, Lilia, a lot of your problems could be solved if you’d just decided to follow my advice and have your dragon chipped.”, Leona smirks, ignoring Ruggie’s little welp of nervousness somewhere behind him. “So next time your pup won’t have to interrupt my training yelling like I walk around with his Majesty hid in my fucking pocket.”

“I see.”, Malleus stares at him with a contemplative look on his pale face. He doesn’t seem quite as pissed anymore, which is not something Leona was expecting after he fucking concussed his puppy. “I guess it’s my fault then. I do appreciate you holding back, Kingscholar.”

Leona blinks slowly in his direction.

Seriously? That’s all?

Malleus once started a fight because Leona _answered_ one of Sebek’s insults at his status. Freaking tried to claw his eyes out, and now he _thanks_ him because he could have done worse?

“Oi Ruggie. Is he high? The fuck was he at? Sniffing golden power in his lair?”

Ruggie goes pale the next second and lets out a distressed whimper from the back of his throat, his ears hanging low on his head as he claws his arm in warning.

“Leona-san, I really don’t care if attempted murder is the way you two usually flirt, just don’t drag me in your kinks.”, the hyena hisses, eyeing Malleus nervously. “I don’t wanna die yet, thanks.”

Leona grits in his teeth in a fit of rage, but he doesn’t give him the satisfaction of replying. He just takes Ruggie from the scruff of his neck, like a misbehaving kitten, and he pushes him between himself and the Diasomnia group. In full front line. No more using him as a shield, if he has to be an annoying shit. Ruggie yelps, but with his Prefect’s hand still squeezing the base of his neck, keeping him in place, he can’t do much more than that.

Malleus is scowling at him again, though, even if it’s not clear if it’s because of the flirting allegations or Leona’s provocations. Not that the reason is much important, though. Maybe now they can finally go and settle this by trying to kill each other like normal people?

And yet Lilia fucking _giggles_ at the exchange and Leona almost jumps out of his skin because, damn, the sound of it alone feels evil.

“You know, Malleus, Leona-kun even made Jack Howl-kun call for the nurse while Ruggie-kun went to search for you with Silver.”, the little purple fucker adds, eyes glittering in amusement, and Leona feels a pang of regret on his decision of staying to wait for Malleus...this is shaping up to be much a bigger bother than he thought. “And then he waited for you all this time. Isn’t he cute? I thought loyalty was a canine characteristic, but I might have underestimated the were-feline type after all.”

“I’m not a fucking dog, dwarf!”, Leona’s ears bristles as he hisses at the Vice Prefect, leaving the grip on Ruggie’s neck, who scrambles behind him again. “I waited here so he can take responsibility for the problems he causes, but if you want to have a go at it instead, you just have to say it…If you think you can even reach my face from down there.”

“Fufufu, is that so?”, Lilia beams cutely. Leona almost cringes out of his skin, torn between being pissed off or just plain creeped out. “You must have missed Malleus today, uh? Such a big, cute kitty, you’re even hissing like one. Do you purr too?”

Leona is so angry his teeth hurt, but he doesn’t even have the time to tell the shitty old bat to go fuck himself before he realizes that in the meantime Malleus actually got close enough to grasp his shoulder – fuck, how the hell did Leona not notice 200 cm of horned lizard cornering him? – and then doing his teletransporting shit to get both of them in one of the courtyards before the situation worsens.

“Now, now, Kingscholar. It’s not very nice to argue where sick people are resting, isn’t it?”, Malleus smiles, showing his white fangs. The distance between them is still too close, so much that Leona can see how his teeth are shorter and thicker than Lilia’s, more similar to his own. A carnivore’s teeth.

But even if he’s showing signs of challenge, Malleus doesn’t seem mad anymore at all. He just sounds fucking _teasing_ …and he also hasn’t even removed his hand from Leona’s shoulder yet, by the way. Maybe he can regrow limbs too, then, because sure as fuck Leona isn’t going to let him leave there any longer. “You wanted to talk to me? Let’s talk.”

Leona tries to bite the hand still holding on him, but the overgrown lizard is still a second too fast, letting go of his shoulder and taking a couple of steps back.

Oh? Maybe he can’t regenerate limbs, after all.

“This is not a talk, it’s a one-sided conversation, shitty lizard. Try to keep up.”, Leona all but growls at his face. “I don’t care what you’re playing at, but whatever it is, if you think I’m not going to break bones next time your human puppy comes screaming at my face, then you’re wrong.”

“Why not doing that today?”, the fuckers actually sounds genuinely curious.

“Because he needed to know exactly why he was not worth the bother.”, Leona’s lips curls in the nasty grin he’s known for, trying his best to be on his worst behavior. “Do I really need to explain it to you? One would think you’d know best on how to raise puppies, seeing you got two…ah, but that’s probably pinky’s role, isn’t it? Aren’t you one of his puppies as well, shitty lizard?”

“I’ll talk with Sebek.”, Malleus answers, and his tone is decisively drier than before, though he doesn’t look too annoyed. Just…defensive. It makes Leona feel the hitch to push further, to see what it takes to make him _snap_.

“Oh, you will have plenty of time to do that once I send you back there.”, Leona smirks. Oh, this is turning out better than he expected. “Then Pinky can play family with the two of you, right?”

Fucker’s gonna be in the bed next to the first year when Leona is finished with him, he swears, taking out his Magical Pen with a deep roar resounding under his stern. Playing with Sebek was fun because he didn’t have a single chance to begin with, and yet he kept struggling to. But with Malleus is different. Malleus almost insanely strong, which means that Leona doesn’t have to hold back at all.

“Such an energetic kitty, aren’t you? Don’t worry, I’ll play with you.”, Malleus’s smile couldn’t be less human if he tried, and yet is easy to tell there is no anger burning in his green eyes as he mirrors him and takes out his own Magical Pen. His smile is sharper than usual, though. Hungry, almost. “You can take it as a reparation gift for Sebek. If you’re still unsatisfied after, I can still pet you until you purr, kitten.”

Leona doesn’t even bother answering, he just roars, irritated, as throws at him the meanest curse he can remember, hoping this will be enough to shut him up.

It’s been a while since they’ve done this, and yet starting their usual dance of dodging and chanting spells feels good even under all the irritation he feels. It’s a good reminder that no matter what identity crisis is the dragon having, he is not less ready to take up a challenge. Leona attacks to kill, still irked by all the farce, but the fucker keeps blocking the worst of them almost effortlessly, responding viciously hit after hit with a light, almost affectionate, smile. Disgusting.

But Leona will take it, finally able to let go some of the stress and irritation of the day…well, at least until someone snitches on them to Crewel and the professor comes to make them stop before they destroy too much school property.

“-are you listening to me, Kingscholar?! Draconia, would you please stop trying to pet his tail and listen to me?! Bad boys!”, Crewel’s air whip stings as usual, but not as much as his annoying voice…tsk. “Naughty puppies…it’s extra lesson time until you learn some discipline…”

Malleus teletransports both of them out of there before it’s too late, and for once Leona is simply too tired to tell him to keep his hands to himself since the fucker drops him right on top of his bed in Savanaclaw.

Whatever.

***

“Oi. Malleus.”

“Mh?”

Leona wants to crack the other’s skull on the desk, but it’s early morning, after all, and he’s sleepy more than he is irritable.

“You do realize you’re in the wrong fucking classroom…right? Did your horns grow all the way through your lizard brain? Don’t worry. I’ll extract them for you.”

“Ah, Kingscholar. I didn’t know you cared.”, his smile is so fucking fake, it’s absolutely infuriating. Leona counts from 0 to 10 in the desperate attempt not to resort to violence this early in the morning. Farena would be so proud of him just for the fact he tried. “I just felt you would get lonely. Aren’t you glad I’m here? Look how cutely your ears are standing. Should I pet them down for you?”

Leona closes his eyes for a second, telling himself that’s it’s not worth it.

Getting a detention out of it is not worth it. He can endure it. Professor Trein will probably kick his scaly ass out the classroom soon anyway.

But then obviously Malleus just goes and starts fucking petting his tail like it’s the most normal thing to do in the world and Leona just loses it for a while, going in full blackout of righteous rage.

Of course, this means that Professor Trein throws them out of the classroom ten minutes and a couple of nearly mortal explosions later. Leona is standing in a pool of sand that was his desk and Malleus just incinerated a chair going straight for his face, while Rook laughs and cheers somewhere in the background chaos.

“If you want to behave like beasts, then do so without disrupting my lesson! You two think that Divus is the only one that knows how to use a whip?! And this isn’t even your class, Draconia!”, the old professor sneers at them while pushing them out the door using wind magic. “Both of you! OUT.”

He even slams the door in their faces, leaving the two of them standing alone in the empty corridor.

Leona breathes in.

Then he breathes out in a frankly shockingly show of self-control. His brother Farena would probably cry out of commotion if he’d knew, which is why he will never be made aware of this particular incident.

“Tsk. Bothersome.”, Leona reaches the right balance of spirit to just roll his eyes at the ceiling and then he goes straight for his greenhouse. He’s still annoyed but otherwise unaffected. It’s not like he doesn’t already know the content of the class anyway, and a nap doesn’t sound too bad at the moment. He’s still hitching to throw something at the scaly bastard – possibly something very heavy and very much on fire – but he spent too much energy trying to punch his face in class to follow up. It’s way too early in the morning for this shit.

Malleus of course walks beside him, quiet and compost like nothing happened, like he’s _invited_ in accompanying him.

It pisses him off.

It’s been a little more than a couple of weeks since the Fairy Gala and the bastard doesn’t seem to be getting tired of following him and acting as the clingiest and touchiest shadows he has ever seen. He still hasn’t understood what his deal is, to be honest. He has heard of the gossip around them – since he’s not _deaf_ and Ruggie still hasn’t shut up about it – but he just can’t see whatever this is under the same pink-colored light as apparently half of the school does.

And it’s gotten so much worse since the time in the infirmary, but who the fuck knows why? Because Leona surely doesn’t, since they were fighting as usual. And yet, never mind the general leeching, Malleus even started to sneak in Savanaclaw at the most random and unexpected moments, making his damn flowers grow everywhere. Hell, one time he woke up on his bed covered in pink flowers – yes, tail comprised – and with Malleus reading a book at his desk. And now he’s even going to his classes? No, Leona has to do something about it before it goes ever more out of hand than it already is.

His room _stinks_ of this bastard’s magic.

It’s a smokey, kind of electric essence. Like the aftermath of a lightning’s falling to the ground.

“Oi. Seriously, are you going to keep it up for much longer?”, Leona suddenly stops in his steps, when they already are in the middle of the greenhouse. He turns to face the other Prefect, who until now just kept walking behind him in silence.

Malleus studies him with his slit, reptilian eyes for a while, seemingly at ease. Leona regrets opening his mouth a second later, but he still forces himself to stay calm and wait for an answer. He can punch him later.

“I don’t know. Maybe?”, Malleus tilts his head to the side, folding his arm and touching his chin with the other, like he’s actually seriously considering the answer. “Probably, I think.”

Leona just blinks at him, at a loss of words for a second. It happens a lot since Malleus decided to act as his shadow.

But really, what the actual fuck.

“You don’t know? You’re just following me around because you feel like it?”, his voice has a slight shadow of growl, but he manages to mostly stay calm.

 _Breathe_ , Leona tells himself, _In and out_. _If we fight here the greenhouse will be destroyed._

Malleus watches him intently, going without blinking for much longer than the average human could ever. He hums in confirmation, a low, rumbling sound that seems to come from a much larger animal, and shrugs. The black scales he hides under his bangs are more visible with his head tilted to the side, as he keeps staring at him with those green slit eyes, so similar to his own feline ones, if not for the specks of intense yellow near the pupil.

For the first time, Leona wonders if this isn’t a weird dragon thing he doesn’t know about.

Like his own instincts that keep encouraging him on creating his own pride to guide and protect, or like Jack’s strong respect of hierarchy. But these are urges and every beastman learns how to live with them without being controlled by it.

Maybe that oblivious imbecile is so deep into some instinctual need that he’s not even _thinking_ about what he is doing, following him around and acting like a general creep.

Tsk. Bothersome.

Maybe Leona just needs to override Malleus’s instincts, then. Shocking him into snapping out of it, or something like that. It’s a difficult thing to do, though, since he really isn’t clear about a dragon’s specific characteristics and needs. He could start from Malleus’s own characteristics, though…since they’ve been spending together more time than he’d like to admit.

Malleus isn’t overly fond of people invading his personal space, ad example, though he doesn’t seem to have problems when it's Leona’s space being invaded by him. Maybe if he pushes him a bit…if he goes to the extreme…?

Oh, hell. Why the fuck not, at this point?

“Well. Let’s try with the shock therapy then.”

He doesn’t give Malleus the time to prepare, he just grabs his necktie and roughly pulls it down until they’re at the same eye level. The other slightly widens his eyes but Leona kisses him before he can even blink, forget about talking.

Malleus lips are surprisingly warm, despite the paleness, but his mouth is scalding hot and tastes like fire. It’s similar to his magical signature, actually, kind of smokey and electric. It’s a much less terrible experience than Leona could have imagined, and that somewhat makes it even weirder than the kiss itself, because this wasn’t supposed to feel nice at all. Malleus doesn’t take any initiative to respond, but that’s about what Leona is expecting anyway. He wouldn’t be surprised if this was Malleus’s first kiss ever. Not that he cares either way, okay? First kisses suck anyway. If nothing, the bastard should be grateful Leona is doing this at all.

In the end, it’s just a short kiss, though it leaves the two of them blinking at each other for a second.

Leona can still feel the taste of fire and smoke on his lips, as he watches Malleus’s lack of reaction. He’s not even sure he’s breathing, okay. His slit eyes are slightly widened and he’s not even _blinking_.

Maybe Leona has broken him, after all.

Fuck, if he’d known it would be so easy to leave him speechless, he would have kissed him a few years ago. He ignores the tiny part of him who kinda want to lean over again and steal another kiss since they’re here anyway, and he takes a couple of steps back before the fucker wakes up from his stunned silence and realizes he wants to punch his face in instead.

But Malleus just covers his now moist lips with his long, pale fingers, like a fucking virgin maiden.

Yeah, well, this seems like it’s going to take a while and Leona is so not sticking around for any royal hysterics on integrity, purity, morals, or whatever the fuck.

“See ya, shitty lizard.”, Leona can’t help but grin at those owlish green eyes watching in bewilderment as Malleus slowly straightens himself, with his still crooked necktie and covered lips. It’s kind of cute, in a very Malleus-like way. Ugh, Leona has better fuck off before he kisses him some more, even if just for the satisfaction of seeing other reactions. “Or not.”

So much for Ruggie’s yapping about their supposed mutual flirting, uh?

But that should assure him some time alone, finally. No more teasing smirks, no more pink flowers stinking up his room, no more unwanted reptiles lurking, no more annoying first years disrespecting him in his territory. He’s so happy he may have teared up a little on the inside.

Leona goes back to Savanaclaw right away, thinking that he should probably expect the Diasomnia Dorm to throw a manhunt for him later in the evening or something. But even worrying it’s too bothersome right now…it’s still morning. He’s done thinking about what just happened and if Lilia wants to yell at him for defiling the lips of his precious soon-to-be King, then he will deal with him too…later.

And if he still doesn’t manage to find himself disgusted in the slightest at the thought of having kissed his freaking rival, well, there is absolutely none of the wiser.

For the time being, Leona does what’s he’s best at and he crawls in his bed to take the power nap he needs, still with that smokey aftertaste on his lips.

***

Alone in the greenhouse, Malleus is left looking at a banana tree like it holds all the answers to his questions. After staring at it for a while, he actually manages to trace a smiling mouth and a pair of cheerful eyes looking at him in return.

He blinks.

The banana tree smiles wider.

And so Malleus decides to move his location before it starts talking to him too.

In the end he settles for sitting on a bench, realizes he can still feel a light tingling where Leona’s warm lips pressed against his and he bolts up again instantly, walking nervously up and down the greenhouse.

He needs to talk to Lilia, like, two weeks ago.

Luckily for everyone, he knows exactly where he can find him, so he disappears from the greenhouse with a last, thoughtful look at the banana tree and reappears in the Diasomnia common room, where Lilia is doing self-study by himself.

“Ah, Malleus.”

As expected, Lilia doesn’t seem surprised in the slightest.

“What happened, my boy? Did the big kitten scratch you?”, he chuckles, amused, as Malleus sits at the table in front of him, frowning. He loves Lilia to bits, but this is not a conversation he is particularly looking forward to having.

“Lilia.”, he starts…but then he stops for another good three minutes watching con increasing interest the mosaic on the floor.

But he grits his teeth and forces himself to ask for confirmation on what it’s been happening.

“Have I been… _courting_ Kingscholar?”

Another silence. Seconds pass, slow as molasses.

Dragons can’t physically sweat, but fuck if Malleus isn’t having problems keeping his fire under control in this precise moment.

“Silly boy. I saw you _hissing_ at people who went to ask for his autograph, after the Gala.”

Uh. Yeah, okay, that sounds familiar.

“You’ve spent so much time with him lately that Sebek and Silver started asked directly for Leona-kun’s whereabout.”, Lilia is speaking slowly but firmly, like when he was a little dragon cub, still confused on why burning clothes wasn’t right, even when struck in his horns. “You’re quite literally _hoarding_ all of his time already.”

Uh. Kingscholar did mention something like that, actually. Before he suddenly went on _kissing_ him…not that Malleus is complaining much, though. If nothing, he is very much regretting not having used the opportunity to kiss him back some more. His lips were softer than expected and his heart aches at the thought of not having more chances to kiss him some more. That has been…an interesting discovery he is _not_ going to talk with Lilia about. Yet.

Or never, which sounds even better.

“If that wasn’t showing interest in courting, then I do not know what could be.”

Malleus can feel Lilia’s staring at him. He happily ignores it and keep looking at the magnificent example of gargoyle near the entrance door. Beautiful accuracy for particulars. About three hundred years old. Dragon shaped. Nice design. Elegant horns.

He hopes that Leona doesn’t hates his horns as much as he shows, though.

That could be a problem.

“Did you try giving him flowers with your magic signature yet?”

That’s about what it takes for Malleus’s eyes to snap back on Lilia knowing face so fast that his head spun a little.

He probably has guilt written all over his face, because Lilia takes a look at him and cracks a smirk.

“You did, didn’t you”

Of course he did, damn him.

Lilia is beaming at him like he used to when Sebek first started wobbling running through the castle at two years old.

And Malleus almost _whines_ because yes, he of course he fucking went and did the equivalent of territorial pissing all over Kingscholar as soon as he saw him dressed as a fairy. He should probably thank the Seven he did not directly propose there and then, because Leona would have overblotted right the fuck away. And for how much he regrets not having seen him in his wild, berserk version – just out of…scientific interest, okay – he is glad that it did not happen, because he would have needed to fight him seriously not to get himself _murdered_.

After all, he should probably be glad that Leona is not as clear as Lilia on their courtship traditions.

Though he has to have at least a hint of suspicion about what is going on if he _kissed_ him.

But on the other hand, he wouldn’t have done that if he didn’t have the slightest inclination for him, right? Mmh, that’s a nice angle. A dragon can at least hope, after all.

On the other end of the table, Lilia kind of wants to take the thickest book on the table and smack his protégée head, but at the same time it’s so funny to see him half-slouched on the wooden chair, growling at the floor like it killed someone. He seems deep in thought. Probably something happened between them, then, or Malleus wouldn’t have had to come and ask him such a thing.

Oya, so that means that Leona did the first move?

That’s unexpected. Then maybe this is not without hope, then.

At the other side of the table, Malleus grits its teeth like he’s just swallowed something really unpleasant and finally look at his Guardian in the eyes.

“I’ve been offering magical flowers.”, he spits out, almost sullenly. “Since the Fairy Gala.”

He’s adorable. Lilia was happy enough seeing him starting to bond with people in general, but to think he would actually start a courting ritual for his crush? Aw, his baby dragon grew up so fast. And yet…

“So…You mean you courted him for two solid weeks without realizing why you have been leaving your magic signature all over him? Really, now, Malleus.”, Lilia has to swallow back the laugh threating to bubble out of his lips. “You couldn’t have been less subtle unless you’d just transformed back and kidnapped him to your lair.”

Malleus finally straightens and recomposes himself, assuming the usual demean that appears impassible to anyone…but Lilia.

“I guess.”, he grumbles. “Well, the travel wouldn’t be worth it anyway.”

Oh boy.

Lilia has never been more relieved to be far from home. A dragon’s hoarding instincts are not to be taken lightly.

They sit in silence for another couple of minutes, during which Lilia still has a very hard time keeping himself from laughing out loud. These youngsters. Still so awkward and inexpert. He even tries to picture Malleus kidnapping Kingscholar like a dragon in those human fairytales. Well, kidnapped princesses, kidnapped princes. Same difference.

“So, what now?”, Lilia asks, looking at his boy all grown up and dealing with the first semi-feral and bad-tempered feline to enter his heart. Lilia might still tear up a bit, after. Maybe not in happiness though, because Kingscholar is just plain fucking rude and should not be allowed to go around without muzzle and leash, at least for what Lilia is concerned. But still, the point remains. His boy all grown up and all that. Lilia can buy a leash later. Just in case. Or maybe call a lion tamer or whatever. It’s not important, as long as it puts a smile on his boy’s face.

Malleus shrugs.

“Guess I’ll make him more flowers. Maybe a bouquet. No. A garland?”

“That depends on how much you want to see him collared, I guess.”

Malleus looks at him with a slightly surprised expression, but it’s gone after half a second, followed by a calculating look. He is pondering the question with such a serious expression…Oh boy.

“A lot.”

“He’s going to try and strangle you with the garland and you know it.”

Another second of silence.

“Worth it.”

Lilia gives up and finally laughs, softly patting Malleus’s thing from under the table.

He suggests a floral crown instead, for starters.

***

When Ruggie enters Leona-san’s room without knocking, as per usual, he is expecting to find it empty. It’s still too early for lunch and no one better than him can be sure of Savanaclaw’s Prefect schedule, since he washes his clothes accordingly. He has a clean basket of clothes and towels to leave there, before going to alchemy class. He had self-study the previous period, so he went to recollect the clean clothes from the drier, following his usual weekly schedule. He never knocks, because at this hour the room is either empty or Leona has skipped class to sleep, which means it is in everyone’s best interests that he doesn’t get woken up too bluntly. Otherwise, Leona-senpai has the tendency to get all cranky and even more bad-tempered than usual, which usually means someone will have to deal with it, and that someone ends up being Ruggie a good 80% of the times.

So. Thank you, but no thank you.

He opens the door with one hand as quietly as possible and steps in, wondering what to eat today at the cafeteria – maybe the leftovers from yesterday will be available at half of the price again? – but he doesn’t even get to finish elaborating that thought when his brain fully registers the scene that’s unfolding right in front of him.

Leona is on his bed, as he half expected already, except…well…he seems to be using Malleus’s thigh as a pillow. Which should bring right to the question about why Diasomnia Prefect is lingering in the Savanaclaw Dorm, but that’s itself stopped being uncommon after the first week. If Ruggie has to be honest, it is more unusual to find Leona alone, these days. But Malleus normally uses to sit at the desk and quietly read a book until Leona wakes up to kick him out…while today something is really different from the new usual. Because what it really is making Ruggie’s brain refusing to acknowledge what’s happening is the fact that Malleus Draconia, successor to the throne of Valley of Thorns, is scratching Leona’s ears like one would to a housecat, and that the low, rumbling sound pervading the room…seems to be Leona’s purring in his sleep.

Ruggie can’t help himself.

He makes a strangled whimper of hilarity – because for the fucking Seven, Malleus is literally petting Leona into _purring_ , shit, this is awesome – mixed with honest rush fear and dread for his life, though that’s mostly instinctual. And yet, almost instantly, his ears are so flattened on his head that they’re barely visible, his tail is hanging low, almost between his legs, and even keeping his head from dropping is getting difficult. It feels like he just intruded an intimate moment, like he walked right in the room where his superioris are having sex. After all they are Malleus Draconia and Leona Kingscholar, two of the most powerful students of the whole school. A lion and a freaking dragon of royal blood. It’s really not a wonder why his hyena’s nature is screaming at him to appear as apologetic and harmless as he can.

And frankly speaking, he is really fucking happy with his instincts at the moment. He doesn’t know whenever to laugh or cry, but Leona-san is better paying him extra for the fright, because Ruggie is sure about to get his shares of nightmares, given the cold, reptilian look that is being directed at him right now.

Malleus raises an eyebrow in his direction, with his usual dignified composure, and Ruggie flinches back…letting the heavy basket full of laundry falling on the floor with a loud bump.

Ah, shit.

The purring sound permeating the room almost immediately stops as Leona’s emerald eyes open to scan his surroundings, alert.

It has always surprised Ruggie how quick Leona-senpai is, both in falling asleep and waking up.

That’s why it takes him about less than half of a minute to assess the situation and proceed to kick Malleus off his bed.

“What the hell?”, Leona growls, a dangerous sound, so deep it can be felt reverberating in one’s bones, bringing a promising violence. It couldn’t be more completely different from the low, soft purring he was making since a minute before. To Ruggie’s enormous relief, though, all this aggression is clearly being directed to the future fae’s King, now sitting on his royal butt on the cold stone floor at the end of bed. Too bad he doesn’t seem much impressed by the murder written all over Leona’s posture, because Ruggie is feeling pretty good being left out of this one.

But of course, his presence does not go unnoticed.

Leona yawns, gets out of the bed and approaches him, studying first his submissive posture and then Malleus Draconia perfectly fabricated innocent smile.

“Tsk. No need to be this tense.”, Savanaclaw’s Prefect scoffs, flicking at Ruggie’s forehead. He still looks angry and burning holes on Malleus’s head, but the tension in the room decreases of a few degrees.

“Not exactly my fault.”, Ruggie pouts, but it’s kind of hard not to notice how his posture immediately relaxes. “You should have been in class anyway, Leona-san.”

Leona rolls his eyes and then growls at the dragon still seated on his floor.

“Well, that’s not my fault either, today. Right, shitty lizard?”

Malleus sighs like a falsely accused soul and takes a seat on the bed like he’s being invited to.

“I was kinda hoping you’d stay in shock a little longer. Were you faking it, earlier? What are you, an iguana?”

“I can transform back, if you want to check so badly.”, Malleus hums his answer, way too much in good humor for one in his situation. “But your room might end up a little crowded then.”

Leona stares at him with the tiredness of someone who had to deal with this kind of absurdity a little too much in the last weeks.

“I think I liked you best when you weren’t talking.”

“Oh, well, we can try that again, if you’d like.”, Malleus’s smile widens in a grin that has nothing of the usual formal bearing he is known for. Ruggie takes a cautious step back, feeling like he is missing something crucial to this conversation…but that’s probably for the best, if he has to listen to his guts. “It was unexpectedly illuminating too.”

Leona actually _hisses_ at that and Ruggie decides this is the time to fuck off before it gets bloody. Or lovely. Either way he doesn’t want to see. Who the fuck knows what’s really happening between these two, anyway? He will ask later, when the tension isn’t as volatile. And when he is done with today’s lessons.

He is trying to have a good attendance record, after all, unlike these two royal bastards.

Leona notices Ruggie’s wise retreat with the corner of his eyes and thanks the Seven for that, because he doesn’t think he wants a public for this conversation.

“Seriously, scaly face. Are you high on something? It must be good, because you’re not making any sense.”

Malleus chuckles as he gets up to move closer to where Leona is, near the windows of his balcony. Truth to be told, he is much closer than strictly necessary. He stops in front of the other, waits for a few seconds and when he doesn’t get immediately pushed away, he leans into Leona’s personal space again. The were-lion is staring at him with half-closed eyes, cautious but apparently inclined to give him a chance to explain. It’s actually a very good sign, coming from him, and it elates Malleus in a way he didn’t think it could.

“I’m not high on anything.”, he answers, sending a thread of magic to form a pink camelia as big as the palm of his own palm. Leona scrunches his face in something between disgust and helplessness. But then Malleus makes the gesture of offering him the flower instead of randomly placing it on his room or braiding it like he usually does, and something akin to understanding passes on the Second Prince’s green eyes. “But I really did have come to a realization, earlier.”

Leona stares at the magical flower that is being offered to him.

Then at overgrown lizard’s slightly sardonic smile.

Then at the flower again, noticing the already familiar magical signature scent it emits.

“Oh, you _got_ to be fucking kidding me.”, Leona actually _groans_ out loud when everything finally clicks in place.

The bastard has been _courting_ him for two weeks?!

And he even has the gall to say that the _kiss_ was illuminating…did the motherfucker realize it _after_ that?!

After all the gossip that is going around the school, after Ruggie’s and Lilia’s jokes, and Malleus realizes it after Leona briefly kiss him?

So, Leona does exactly what any sane person in his shoes would do upon discovering that the guy he has a blood feud with has been _unconsciously_ trying to woo him for a good two weeks.

He smiles.

He takes the flower from his outstretched palm…and _then_ he tackles the bastard and freaking _throws_ him out of the balcony.

“You think I’d accept it, with no questions asked, after you did all that shit without even realizing it?! Fucking lizard.”, he growls, watching Malleus reptile eyes widening in surprise as he lands on his butt for the second time in half an hour, this time on the sandy ground of Savanaclaw’s courtyard. It’s not too high and Malleus is a big freaking dragon, so it’s not like the other could have ended up with anything more than sands in his clothes, but the view Leona has of him now it’s worth the scene. “I’m still the Prince of Afterglow Savannah _and_ Prefect of this Dorm. Either court me like you _mean it_ or get out of my fucking face, _Malleus_.”

He slams the balcony’s windows shut, leaving the great King, the mighty Dragon, watching the closed curtains with an absolutely stunned expression.

He has no banana trees to look at, this time, but it still takes him a good couple of minutes to put some order in his confused thoughts and understand what the hell just happened.

It takes a while because so much happened so quickly, but then he realizes it.

He realizes that Kingscholar did, in fact, accept his camelia, right before kicking him out. He threw him out, but he kept his flower…while basically telling him he needs to put more efforts in the courting process…?

Well, that’s not a no, now, is it?

That’s enough for Malleus to stand up again, pat himself free from the sand and dust, and decide to settle for a strategic retreat. It seems that more planning is required, but this is not such a bad outcome. Afterall, Leona is not asking anything unreasonable.

Malleus leaves a few ornamental bushes of white magical roses near door and goes back to Diasomnia Dorm with a light on his pale lips.

Leona watches the entire process from a blind spot of the balcony and scoffs, playing with the pink camelia in his hands, careful not to damage its petals. He would die before admitting it, but things have turned quite more interesting than he thought, at least.

He may have to warn Ruggie about the last news before the little hyena has a heart attack upon walking into them again, though.

Then he thinks about how much fun the little shit had on his expenses since the whole mess started.

Eh.

Maybe Ruggie deserves to figure out the new developments by himself, after all. For now, Leona is just intrigued to look forward seeing how Malleus plans to approach this now. And the shitty lizard is better not fuck this up, because, after all, he kinda wants to kiss the bastard again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for the patience!  
> I hope that this chapter was worth the wait...and that it's at least as funny as the previous.  
> Funny thing, this should have been a short nonsense, yet in the end, I had to cut it in the middle for how long it was getting...I think this is my longest fanfiction yet, for this fandom. By the way!! I wanted to add a short epilogue. I will post it separately because the style of narration I chose is quite different, but it was always included in my initial idea. I do hope it doesn't feel too incomplete as it is now, though!  
> I'm very curious to hear what did you think so feel free to drop a comment!
> 
> p.s. Leona compares Malleus to an iguana because apparently, iguanas fake their deaths when encountering predators, like opossums. So Leona is making a reference to Malleus's surprise after the kiss.


End file.
